GROW: Forgiveness of Us Pt 1
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 NKJV
A promise from God to restore our fellowship with Him when we confess our sins.
Every relationship that we enter, we always bring something into the relationship. It is no different with our relationship with God. What we bring into our relationship with God is our sinful selves. When we received our free gift of salvation we had to do something. Yes, you read that correctly. We had to ADMIT we was a sinner in need to be forgiven.(Romans 3:23) We had to BELIEVE that Jesus paid that precious payment for our sins by dying on the cross and rising on the third day. (Romans 6:23) Then we had to CONFESS that we are sinner who needed to be cleansed from our sins and CALL upon Him for forgiveness and invite Him into our heart to be our personal Lord and Savior. (Romans 10:9-10,13) Now the real journey of faith begins our fellowship and relationship with Him.
In this relationship we are still human; a human that still sins. That is why we need to take up our cross daily. (Luke 9:23 NIV) Which brings us to 1 John 1:4-10, walking in the Light is walking in our relationship and fellowship with God. In verse 7, John gives us one sentence that starts with “But if” that really stood out to me. Then I noticed all the other “IF’s” in this passage. John is declaring to us a message from God. These verses provide instructions on how to walk with God to those who profess to be saved. It also tells us we are liars and deceiving ourselves if we proclaim to be saved yet live a life before we were saved. To have a relationship with God we also have fellowship with Him, but sin that remains not confessed hurts our fellowship and relationship with Him. So we need to confess our sins to restore our fellowship and relationship with Him. God has already proved Himself faithful and righteous time and time again. So verse 9 is one more promise from God. That He will restore us to Him by continuing to forgive us and cleanse us from our sins when we confess our sins to Him.
My Restoration Story, A Short and Sweet Version
For almost ten years, I strayed away from God. I lived a life that I’m sure broke God’s heart. Occasionally I would go to church, start but never finish a Bible study and prayed every now and a then. But God orchestrated a number of events to bring be back to Him starting with the birth of our son. A difficult pregnancy to a traumatic (near death) delivery that softened my heart ( I know I’m stubborn and hard-headed) and lead me to a conviction to bring him up in the church. After a few months of regular church going and letting the words embrace me. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I needed to rededicate my life to God. During dedication I approached the alter, tearfully told our pastor my intentions, blubbered and cried me prayer to God for forgiveness and re-dedication of me life. That day God restored my fellowship and relationship with Him. In those years that I strayed, I was living a lie, deceiving myself because I had broken that life restoring fellowship and relationship with God.
Time to Ponder: Is there something that is robbing you from your fellowship and relationship with God? I’m here to tell you Forgiveness Restores, all you have to do is confess to God. God is faithful and just, He promises to forgive.
In His Love, Crisi
This post is linked to GROW in His Word and Fellowship Fridays.